


From the Moon to the Stars

by 2hyunisthetruth (gsmizz)



Series: Lingering in the Universe [1]
Category: NU'EST, Produce 101 (TV)
Genre: ??? i guess we will see, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, idk how to tag this, ish?, produce 101 canon verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-03 04:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10959861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gsmizz/pseuds/2hyunisthetruth
Summary: A distance is growing between Jonghyun and Minhyun, but will this distance ultimately draw them closer together?





	1. Chapter 1

Jonghyun awoke in the late hours of the night to a soft nudging at his side. As was his habit from years of too-close-for-comfort dorm living, he scooted over to make room for another warm body in the cramped twin bed. The soft exhale on the back of his neck lulled him into a deep slumber which lasted through the rest of the night.

The next morning, Jonghyun groaned awake at the sound of his alarm. There was a faint imprint in his pillow next to his head and a lingering smell that comforted his heart, but Jonghyun found himself alone in the bottom bunk. He briefly wondered if the midnight visitor was a figment of his dreaming imagination, or only a product of wishful thinking and too many nights spent craving company in the trainees' dorm. However, he didn't have much time to waste on thoughts like these when his schedule was packed with activities for Produce 101. Sighing wistfully, he stretched his spine, stood up, and went to go get ready for the day's filming.

Despite the unusual feeling that greeted him that morning, he went about his day as usual, practicing for the upcoming performance and working to lead the other trainees in his team. The burden he felt was heavy and weighed down his heart, but seeing the other boys striving for their dreams and consistently improving was a source of inspiration to him. And, of course, his days weren't filled with tireless work and no downtime. Jonghyun cherished the moments of relaxation that he spent with Dongho and Sewoon in the practice room, and how he could more often than not find himself wedged between Minhyun and Minki during meals.

Adding to the strange feeling of the day, lunch was accompanied by an anomalous occurrence. Minki was by his side as usual and Dongho was seated alongside him, but Minhyun was nowhere to be found. He considered asking Minki or Dongho if they knew where he was, but held back, not wanting to be overbearing. He wasn't sure at what point he began to only feel secure with Minhyun by his side. The thought slightly unnerved Jonghyun; wasn't he supposed to be self sufficient and strong as the leader?

His worries were partially soothed by Minhyun's appearance halfway through the meal. Only partially soothed because upon his appearance, Minhyun seemed to have resolved to not make eye contact with Jonghyun. He wondered if it was all in his head; such behavior wasn't like Minhyun. He was usually calm and gentle, providing encouragement and comfort to Jonghyun in stressful times such as these. He even thought about asking Minhyun about the reason for his late arrival, but he was unable to interject naturally as Minhyun immediately struck up a conversation with Dongho and Minki about their team's progress. Minhyun continued in the same manner throughout the meal, conversing fluidly yet somewhat frantically with other trainees that sat nearby, including members of the team that Minhyun encouraged Jonghyun to lead for the previous performance. Seongwoo and Daniel shot glances in Jonghyun's direction, seeming to notice the lack of interaction between the two who were usually the most affectionate and jovial with each other. Jonghyun made a final attempt to get Minhyun's attention at the end of the meal, calling out to him, but Minhyun seemed to have not heard him (although he should've been able to easily hear him at that distance).

Feeling somewhat bereft, Jonghyun went back to the practice room to help review Guanlin's rap. Despite having promised to help the 17 year old boy from Taipei, he found that he couldn't devote his full attention. Guanlin noticed his distraction, and questioned him about it, but Jonghyun couldn't find any rational way to explain his concern over Minhyun's actions. He brushed off the younger trainee's questions, and resolved to devote his attention to performing his duties as a leader.

That night, Jongyun went to sleep with a heavy heart. What was wrong with Minhyun? The behavior was so unusual on his part that Jonghyun even hesitated to text him or seek him out. What if Minhyun was angry? The thought held him back, even though he couldn't think of any reason why Minhyun could possibly be angry with him. Aside from all of this, he simply missed Minhyun's presence. His easy laughter and friendly smiles that glowed toward Jonghyun were like a balm on his ragged nerves. Through constant stress, when Jonghyun looked into Minhyun's eyes, felt his body, soft yet firm, next to his own, he gained the strength to carry on. From a day without him, Jonghyun could feel a building tension in his shoulders and jaw, but he had no remedy for it.

With a ragged sigh, he resolved to put away his thoughts of Minhyun for the night and forced himself to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Jonghyun discovered a similar fading warmth in the sheets beside him. He was awake before his alarm went off, yet he had no clue what had disturbed his sleep. He closed his eyes for a brief moment to savor the comfort of his warm bed before hoisting himself up and walking towards the bathroom. To his surprise, he found Minhyun in the bathroom, washing his face.

 _Why is he in this bathroom?,_ Jonghyun wondered. There was another bathroom much closer to Minhyun's room, and Jonghyun prepared to question him about this, but Minhyun sharply turned towards him as he noticed his presence. He muttered something about not thinking Jonghyun would be awake yet and speedily left the room. Bemused, Jongyun called out to him, but received no response. Jonghyun didn't know why, but this strange behavior was beginning to get to him. Despite the fact that there was no team that held them together at the moment, he found the distance that was growing between them to be worrisome. He knew that Minhyun needed his support as well, and wondered what his mental state must be like for him to be treating Jonghyun so coldly.

As he finished brushing his teeth, Jonghyun resolved to confront Minhyun and get to the bottom of whatever issue he was concealing.

Of course, Jonghyun's luck being what it was, this was easier said than done. It seemed that Minhyun and the universe were conspiring against him. When he went to the Downpour team's practice room in a spare moment during the morning, Minhyun was nowhere to be found, and other people constantly demanded his attention throughout lunch and the rest of his free time.

That night, as he was about to get ready for bed, he reached the peak of his frustration. He stood up abruptly, startling Guan Lin who sat nearby. Before anyone could question him, Jonghyun stormed out of his room, across the dorm, and into the room Minhyun shared with other trainees.

His dramatic entrance brought the whole room to an awkward silence. He almost felt sheepish, but then he saw Minhyun's panicked expression, his eyes searching for an escape route and his determination to find out what was wrong with Minhyun strengthened.

"Minhyun," he said tersely, "Come out for a second."

After a moment of unbearable silence, Minhyun, having run out of ways to avoid him, simply stood up and followed him out of the room.

Standing in the hall facing him, Minhyun's gaze was unreadable. There was a nameless smouldering behind his eyes that alarmed Jonghyun and caused him to hesitate before saying,

"What's been going on with you lately?"

Minhyun looked away from his eyes and answered, "I don't know what you mean."

"Minhyun, I know you've been avoiding me. Do you think I'm stupid? Why are you being this way?"

"Stupid? I--" Minhyun chuckled insincerely "Don't misunderstand. I've been busy lately. And stressed. You know how it is here..."

Jonghyun could only sigh at the obvious excuse. He grabbed Minhyun's arm in an attempt to get his attention and comfort him, but the taller boy flinched away from his grasp noticeably and took a step backwards.

"Sorry, Jonghyun, really," he said, "I really am stressed out. I need to do well for this performance. And we should both get some sleep."

Jonghyun furrowed his brow. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."

"There's nothing to tell. You're just tired." Minhyun gazed far away from his friend. "Get some sleep." He repeated.

Feeling more confused than ever, Jonghyun agreed and told him goodnight. He resigned himself to having to live with Minhyun's odd behavior until he got over whatever was bothering him.

However, he couldn't help but notice the final glance that Minhyun cast in his direction as he entered his dorm room.

His eyes were filled with something Jonghyun thought he might be fooling himself into identifying as a kind of desperate longing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another short chapter for y'all - pls comment !!  
> shout out to @mian-nakji on tumblr for all of your help <3  
> also if anyone is interested, check out my 2hyun fanvid here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqK5Kn2zM1s


	3. Chapter 3

Having decided to let Minhyun stew by himself until he decided to reveal whatever was bothering him, Jonghyun devoted himself to practice over the next few days. He practiced his rap until his voice was hoarse, using it as a release for some of his frustration. Regardless of whatever was happening with Minhyun, he couldn’t lose sight of the reason he was on this show. He needed to survive. Of course, without his members by his side, it would become considerably difficult to motivate himself to fight and carry on. Even though he currently lead a different team, there was a part of him that couldn’t stop worrying about the other Nu’est members. When he stopped by the ‘Playing With Fire’ team’s practice room, he felt a sharp surge of relief while seeing them preparing a passionate and explosive performance that improved upon each of his visits. 

 

He only heard Minhyun practice one time, and it was merely by chance. He was walking down the hallway of the practice center late one evening when he heard a soft voice drifting out of one of the practice rooms, leaking past an ajar door. 

 

He instantly recognized Minhyun’s sweet voice as he sang the beginning of ‘Downpour’, and the sound and melancholy quality of it made Jonghyun close his eyes, stopping outside of the door to listen. 

 

He knew that Minhyun probably didn’t demand many parts, yet in his solitary practice, he sang the entire song beautifully. Listening, Jonghyun realized that he had missed hearing the combination of Minhyun’s powerful low and soft high tones as he sang. He always enjoyed listening to Minhyun’s voice, and he closed his eyes to enjoy the song as he leaned against the wall by the door.

 

He was shocked out of his peaceful listening and contemplation as Minhyun’s voice choked off halfway through a note at the climax of the song. He heard a few harsh breaths from inside the practice room and a rough, wet sigh. 

 

_ Am I crazy _ , Jonghyun wondered,  _ or is he really crying? _

 

Jonghyun wished he could burst into the room and confirm this for himself. He wished he could comfort Minhyun and wipe his tears, but the constant cold shoulder from the other boy had created a sense of timidness in Jonghyun. What if his presence, for whatever reason, made Minhyun more upset? 

 

It was only two days before the performance, and Jonghyun wasn’t confident that he wouldn’t make whatever was going on in Minhyun’s head even worse. 

 

_ Of course _ , he thought, _ things like this show why I failed as a leader. _

 

With thoughts of cold rain and Minhyun’s tears filling his mind, he walked back to his dorm room. 

 

* * *

 

 

On the day of the performance, Jonghyun worked to push everything out of his mind except for the upcoming stage. Each time he thought of Minhyun, he felt a pang of anxiety in his stomach. 

 

What if Minhyun didn’t do well? What if he got too nervous or emotional? And even, selfishly, what if he never confided in Jonghyun, and stayed distant from him forever? 

 

When he thought about Minhyun, thoughts of everything else fled his mind. He almost wished that there was some way he could avoid watching Minhyun’s team perform so that he could actually focus on his own upcoming performance, but that was impossible. In any case, Minhyun had to do well, and every trainee was feeling the pressure of being evaluated by the audience. 

 

Sitting in the waiting room right before the ‘Downpour’ team’s performance, he wondered who was more nervous at that moment, him or Minhyun. He couldn’t stop himself from biting his tongue and lips, filled with anxiety. 

 

As Minhyun began to sing, Jonghyun felt strangely overcome. His eye contact with the camera felt like he was looking directly into Jonghyun’s eyes, and the emotion glistening in his gaze halted all of the thoughts swirling in his mind. Every time he heard Minhyun’s voice or saw him, Jonghyun’s heart burned hotly. He felt like he could barely catch his breath, and much like the last time he heard Minhyun sing this song, he ached to approach him. He wished that there was some way he could sooth whatever storm was brewing within Minhyun, and protect him from his worries. 

 

As the song built, so did the swell of emotions within Jonghyun, and at the final note of the song, Jonghyun felt like he was in a daze. The last shot of Minhyun, his eyes glistening, was all he could think about for the next few performances. 

 

 

* * *

 

And then came Jonghyun’s performance. He lost the ability to worry about Minhyun, filled with adrenaline on the stage. It was time to tell his story. 

 

 

* * *

 

In the end, Jonghyun had no excuses for his mistakes on stage. His nerves were under control, he felt confident, yet he slipped up with the lyrics. More than once. 

 

_ I made a mistake. It can happen _ , he tried to soothe himself, but he was unable to erase his shame. On top of this, he placed first in his team, an achievement which only made him feel more humbled and undeserving. He didn’t understand how he got first place, he clearly made a mistake, and the other kids did so well. As bowed his head remorsefully, the stress of the week, regret at his slip-ups, and fading adrenaline of the stage culminated in tears that ran down his cheeks. 

 

His team members comforted him, but he couldn’t stop feeling so undeserving. Despite the recognition that he’d hoped for finally coming his way, there were too many complications in his life for him to be unreservedly happy about it. 

 

 

* * *

 

After receiving first place overall in rap (another recognition he felt unworthy of), Jonghyun was ready to go back to the dorm and collapse in his bed. Having used up his emotional and physical energy for the day, he was sleepily dragging his feet when he ran into someone, causing them to stumble and nearly fall backwards. 

 

“Ah, sor-” he stopped mid-apology as he realized who he bumped into. 

 

“Minhyun…”

 

Minhyun’s expression was serious yet gentle. It didn’t look warm by any stretch of the imagination, but wasn’t closed-off as it had been for the past few days.

 

“Jonghyun. Congratulations,” Minhyun said awkwardly. 

 

“Thanks, you too. You did really well.” 

 

Jonghyun prepared to sidestep him and continue walking down the hall, but he was halted by Minhyun saying, 

 

“Wait! I was actually looking for you. I wanted to talk to you for a minute.”

 

Jonghyun almost couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The knot of worry in his stomach wasn’t eased, but rather almost worsened at the prospect of learning what Minhyun had been concealing from him all of this time. 

 

Minhyun visibly steeled himself, parted his lips and--

 

This was sure confirmation that the universe had something against Jonghyun. 

 

At this crucial moment, Guan Lin came barreling down the hall and grasped onto Jonghyun’s shoulder, saying, 

 

“Hyung! There you are! Can I ask you about something?”

 

Caught off guard by his sudden appearance, Jonghyun found himself instinctively agreeing to the sudden request with a “Sure.”

 

Guan Lin glanced at Minhyun in a silent request for privacy, and Jonghyun, recovering from the shock, looked over at him as well. 

 

It was like he was looking at a different person. His eyes were shuttered and the nervous tilt of his mouth corners was replaced by an emotionless line. 

 

He exhaled through his nose, casting a glance at Guan Lin’s hand resting on Jonghyun’s shoulder. After a beat, Minhyun said, “Just. Congratulations,” before turning and swiftly walking down the hall. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm really sorry about the ending lmao. and if you want to make yourself really emo go look up the lyrics for downpour. but dont worry, the next chapter is in the works so hopefully the wait won't be too long!
> 
> also, seriously, check out my fanvid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqK5Kn2zM1s
> 
> and, again, thanks to mian-nakji ur the best


	4. Chapter 4

The night after the position performances, Jonghyun lay awake in his bed, staring at the bottom of the bunk above him. He couldn’t believe that he came so close to having a real conversation with Minhyun only to have it interrupted so abruptly.

 

Thankfully, due to his exhaustion from the day, when he closed his eyes he found himself drifting off to sleep unwittingly.

 

He slept. He dreamt.

 

In his dream, Minhyun was sitting next to him (he wasn’t sure where, maybe in their dorm), smiling brightly or laughing at some joke that Jonghyun made.

 

 _Jonghyun_ , Minhyun was saying, _you’re doing so well._

 

Jonghyun couldn’t think of what he was referring to but the praise made him feel good regardless.

 

 _Jonghyun_ , he said and simply laughed once more, grabbing onto Jonghyun’s arm.

 

And then Minhyun’s hand was on his shoulder; then his arm was wrapped around him; then he was pulling Jonghyun into his embrace.

 

Minhyun was so close and so warm. A familiar smell surrounded him that caused his tense muscles to relax.

 

Warmth.

 

Then Jonghyun blinked his eyes. The dream must have changed scenes, because he suddenly sensed that he was lying down with a warm body behind him and long arms wrapped around him. The shape of the body had to be Minhyun, but as Jonghyun became more aware of the setting of the dream, it struck him as odd. It was strangely clear, and he seemed to be… in his bed at the trainees’ dorm. In a haze, Jonghyun turned over to face the body behind him. As he expected, Minhyun was behind him.

 

Minhyun’s face was so close that their noses nearly touched, but his eyes were shut.

 

Suddenly, they shot open.

 

Suddenly, it was obvious to Jonghyun that he was no longer dreaming.

 

In the dark, he could make out Minhyun’s narrow eyes centimeters from his own, but the expression on his face was indecipherable. His hair, nearly black in the shadows, lay messy over his brow, and some of it stuck sweatily to his forehead. Their faces were so close that Minhyun’s nose and lips were unfocused, but Jonghyun could slightly see his parted lips just below his pointed nose.

 

Minhyun’s eyes, unblinking, stared into Jonghyun’s. Neither of them could move or speak, and in the silence the seconds passed like hours.

 

Still unmoving, Minhyun exhaled slowly. His warm breath against Jonghyun’s lips was soft and  soothing, and Jonghyun was tempted to close his eyes and fall back to sleep. It would be easier than facing whatever reality he had woken up to.

 

Before Jonghyun could decide on anything, Minhyun vaulted over him and out of the twin-sized bed. He sped out of the room, and Jonghyun sat up but stayed in the bed, baffled. Even if he got up to follow him, Jonghyun had no idea what he would even say to him. He couldn’t reconcile the cold and terse version of his friend with the soft and gentle moments that he glimpsed that morning.

 

Thoughts were swirling in Jonghyun’s still-sleepy head. Minhyun didn’t want to be around him or talk to him, yet he decided to crawl in Jonghyun’s bed to sleep beside him. Was this just a one time thing, or had Minhyun done this before? He thought about Minhyun’s tears in the practice room and morose look on stage. Did this all add up to one thing? What could explain it? It was all too puzzling to his exhausted mind.

 

He momentarily considered going back to sleep, but he knew that he would be unable to after what had just transpired. Jonghyun got up to brush his teeth and wash his face and as he did so, he made up his mind.

 

Regardless of what he would say to him, he had to talk to Minhyun. There was no putting it off anymore, he needed to hear Minhyun explain himself. And this time, there would be no appeasement or backing off on Jonghyun’s part.

 

 

* * *

 

 

He searched for Minhyun the entire morning, only taking a brief break at lunchtime. Frustrated by his elusive friend, he ate quickly, not noticing Dongho as he sat across from him at the table.

 

“Jonghyun,” Dongho began, startling the other boy, “what’s wrong?”

 

“I…” Jonghyun couldn’t think of an easy way to explain the events of the past few days. Instead, he simply asked,

 

“Have you seen Minhyun?”

 

“Today? No, why?”

 

“I need to talk to him. He-- you haven’t noticed him acting strange?”

 

“Not towards _me_.”

 

At this pointed statement, Jonghyun looked at Dongho’s face carefully. Clearly he noticed something, and his expression made it clear that he understood Minhyun’s behavior far better than Jonghyun did. Moreover, it confirmed that Minhyun had been acting differently towards Jonghyun only, and whatever was happening was specifically related to him.

 

“Minhyun...towards  me….” Jonghyun trailed off, unable to express his thoughts.

 

Dongho huffed a pitying, slightly amused laugh and dug into his food, ending his participation in the conversation. Halfway finished with his meal but unable to continue eating, Jonghyun picked up his tray and stood, ready to leave the table.

 

As he turned to go, Dongho said, “Jonghyun.”

 

Jonghyun turned back to see that all traces of mirth had disappeared from his face.

 

“The equipment room on the second floor. Look there. And. Be good to Minhyun. He cares more than you know.”

 

He had no idea how to respond other than to jog out of the room and head towards the stairs.  

 

 

* * *

 

 

Jonghyun paused outside the door to the equipment room and took a deep breath.

 

He pushed open the door and stepped inside.

 

Minhyun sat on the floor; he leaned against the wall and his head was tilted back.

 

He looked over when Jonghyun entered, calmly meeting his gaze. Rather than being shocked, Minhyun seemed to have expected that Jonghyun would eventually find where he was.

 

“I’m sorry,” Minhyun whispered. As he looked up at Jonghyun, Minhyun’s eyes began to fill with tears.

 

Jonghyun was prepared for caginess, misplaced anger, and stubborn denial, but Minhyun’s tears caught him completely off guard.

 

He walked over to Minhyun and sat beside him. “Minhyun. I don’t know why you’re sorry. Or what’s been going on in your head for the past few days. I want to understand, to help you. Just tell me what’s going on.”

 

He gingerly placed his hand on Minhyun’s shoulder, and Minhyun heaved a sob, tucking his head down into his chest.

 

“Jonghyun… I’m so scared… I don’t want to lose you.”

 

“What? Why would you lose me?”

 

Minhyun lifted his head and fixed his gaze on a faraway point. His tears had stopped, but he was still clearly distressed.

 

“You just… ever since we came here, I’ve felt like I couldn’t reach you… like we’ve been getting farther and farther away from each other…”

 

Jonghyun was baffled; he didn’t know what to say.

 

“I know, I’ve been making everything worse. I just. When I see you sometimes with the other trainees, you seem so happy. And I couldn’t--”

 

Minhyun finally turned his head to look at Jonghyun pleadingly.

 

“I’m not explaining this well, Jonghyun. I - honestly I can’t even explain, really, I’m sorry.”

 

He looked so guilty that Jonghyun’s heart ached. He couldn’t stand to see that look on his face any longer.

 

“I mean,” Jonghyun began, “it’s okay.”

 

Minhyun sighed in relief and his eyes became shiny once more.

 

As he continued, Jonghyun could no longer hold his eye contact, “But. Minhyun. You’re so important to me. Seriously. I couldn’t do this without you here. And when you weren’t talking to me, I didn’t know what to do. You really scared me.”

 

His cheeks felt hot as he looked over at Minhyun once more. He was smiling a small, sweet smile, and he said, “I won’t do it again. I promise.”

 

At this, Jonghyun felt an answering smile appear on his face.

 

With a final upward twist to the corners of his mouth, Minhyun reached his arms out towards Jonghyun, pulling him into a warm embrace. Jonghyun patted Minhyun’s back and started to move back from the friendly hug, but Minhyun held onto him, preventing his retreat.

 

“Don’t move,” he murmured in Jonghyun’s ear, “Just for a little while.”

 

Jonghyun sat stiffly for a few seconds before closing his eyes and relaxing into the embrace. He buried his nose in Minhyun’s neck, inhaling deeply as the other boy’s hands rubbed his back. He fisted his hands in Minhyun’s shirt and allowed himself to lightly doze.

 

Jonghyun drifted into sleep, comforted by the knowledge that he would still be in Minhyun’s protective embrace when he awoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaahaha yeah, there was no way i could make Minhyun actually be straightforward with his feelings. Jonghyun's oblivious ass is clearly not ready for it.  
> anyways. just one more chapter left (and maybe another one shot or 2 in this universe >//<) !!! 
> 
> as always, thanks to my #1 supporter who can be found @ mian-nakji.tumblr.com


	5. Chapter 5

A few days after their confrontation, things between Jonghyun and Minhyun had returned to a state of near-normalcy. Both boys were slightly more awkward than before, the leftover discomfort from their disagreement still lingering in their minds. 

 

But Jonghyun could see it now. He could see when Minhyun hesitated to approach him, often times when he was surrounded by other trainees. He could see Minhyun’s displeasure when their conversation was interrupted by someone else needing Jonghyun’s attention. 

 

Now attuned to this, Jonghyun found himself becoming more accommodating, more attentive towards Minhyun. When he saw the faraway look on his face, Jonghyun got Minhyun’s attention by bumping their knees together or grabbing his arm or hand. Minhyun looked mildly sheepish at having his distraction noticed, but after a few seconds he would return to the conversation in full force, or simply have a much happier look on his face. If a little extra attention was all it took to make Minhyun’s mood so much brighter, Jonghyun would gladly provide it, even if it didn’t make complete sense to him.  

 

As their closeness was restored, Minhyun became a source of comfort and strength to Jonghyun once more. As always, he automatically noticed Jonghyun’s concerns and could tell if he needed to talk or be distracted from them. In addition to that, Minhyun was more giving and open with his affections, not holding back his urge to compliment or initiate skinship with Jonghyun frequently. The extra care from Minhyun did leave Jonghyun feeling mildly flustered. The special treatment that Minhyun gave him felt markedly different from how he acted towards others, but Jonghyun had to admit to himself that he didn’t being treated differently at all. 

 

Thus the two boys were more and more attached at the hip, especially during the filming break when they went back to the dorm that the Nu’est members shared. 

 

It wasn’t until late one night that Minhyun reminded Jonghyun of something that he had completely forgotten to question him about. 

 

 

* * *

 

All of the other members were still awake, watching TV, talking, or simply browsing on their phones, when Jonghyun decided to go to bed early. While he would usually opt to play a game or watch something for a while, he was uncharacteristically exhausted from the taxing schedule the filming forced them into. After eating dinner, he showered and tucked himself into his bed, sighing peacefully in the dark room. 

 

He had been dozing for around fifteen minutes when a crack of light appeared in the doorway, bringing him back to consciousness. The crack widened to reveal Minhyun, who slipped inside and closed the door behind him. 

 

He walked up to the bed and hovered somewhat awkwardly. 

 

“Jonghyun…” 

 

With his eyes not having readjusted after the flash of light from the hallway, Jonghyun could only barely make out the lines of Minhyun’s face, but he heard something off in his voice. 

 

“What’s wrong? Did you need something?”

 

“I was trying to sleep,” Minhyun answered, “but I couldn’t. I felt kind of cold, so…”

 

Jonghyun suddenly realized what Minhyun couldn’t bring himself to ask. 

 

“Do you...want to lie down?” 

 

Minhyun didn’t say anything more, but Jonghyun felt the bed dip as his lean body crawled over him to lie against the wall, the front of his body facing the back of Jonghyun’s. Both boys lay stiffly, not touching each other despite the small space they shared. A few long moments passed before Minhyun huffed exasperatedly and pulled Jonghyun’s body towards him. He curved his tall form around Jonghyun in a familiar manner, and settled them into a comfortable position. 

 

Lying in his embrace, Jonghyun felt simultaneously relaxed and tense. Minhyun’s warmth and grounding presence settled something deep within his heart, yet the intimate feeling of Minhyun’s body pressed against his produced a fluttering sensation in Jonghyun’s abdomen. 

 

“Shh,” Minhyun whispered in his ear, “Sleep.” His easy demeanor in what was (to Jonghyun) a very abnormal situation reminded Jonghyun of something he never got the chance to ask. Curiosity won out over discomfort, and Jonghyun forced himself to ask, 

 

“Minhyun, at the trainees’ dorm, did you, well, had you done this before? That is, sleeping in my bed. It wasn’t just the one time, was it?” 

 

“...no. No, it wasn’t just one time.” 

 

“How many times, then?” 

 

“Mmm. I don’t really remember.”

 

Then, Jonghyun hesitated. He ran his last remaining question through his mind over and over. Was he ready to hear the answer to that question? He wasn’t sure, but he didn’t want Minhyun to hold things back from him anymore. Regardless of what the answer was (the possibilities made him anxious) Jonghyun couldn’t bear the thought of Minhyun keeping secrets from him or suffering in silence, so finally, he asked, 

 

“Why did you do that? Why were you in my bed, when we weren’t even talking?” 

 

Minhyun fell silent. He placed his hand on Jonghyun’s shoulder and began to turn Jonghyun toward him. 

 

“Turn over.” 

 

Jonghyun complied and settled into a recreation of the position he found himself in when he woke up to Minhyun a few days before. Lying close to him in the bed, Jonghyun could see the serious look on Minhyun’s face. His almond-shaped eyes were intense, seeming to glow in the dark room. Minhyun’s lips parted several times as he considered and reconsidered his words while scanning Jonghyun’s face. The silence was overwhelming, and with the question hanging in the air between them, Jonghyun’s anxious heart was doing cartwheels. He himself didn’t know if there was an answer that he was fearing or one that he was hoping. All of his thoughts were tangled together in a mess of complications that he didn’t know how to parse through. 

 

Jonghyun didn’t know what he was expecting, yet when Minhyun reached a hand forward to cup his cheek and murmured, “Do you really need me to say it?” his heart and mind went quiet. He realized that, no, he didn’t need him to say it. At least not yet. Even without words, it was there, between them: an unnamed weight that Jonghyun was growing closer to being able to admit to himself. 

 

Jonghyun could say nothing more. He turned back over, pulling Minhyun’s arm over him, and they shifted a few times before finding a comfortable position. 

 

“Jonghyun.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Sleep.”

 

And this time, he listened. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wahhh last chapter !! Stay tuned for more in this universe tho (also i may or may not have a potential 2hyun tech industry AU brewing in my mind), and feel free to come yell about 2hyun with me on tumblr <3

**Author's Note:**

> hit me up @ me-ow.tumblr.com


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